Lessons On Movies.com MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Transcription

1 Lessons On Movies.com MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING CONTENTS Listening / Reading Script 2 Mark The Spaces 9 Poster / Trailer 3 Discussion 10 Synonym / Phrase Match 4 Survey 11 Listening Gap Fill 5 Writing 12 Correct The Spelling 6 Homework 13 Punctuate The Text 7 Answers 14 Insert The Vowels 8 Follow Sean Banville on Twitter Facebook Google + twitter.com/seanbanville plus.google.com/ /posts

2 THE LISTENING / READING SCRIPT Much Ado About Nothing is a 2012 American independent romantic comedy written, produced, and directed by Joss Whedon. It is based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. It was filmed in black and white at Whedon's home in California over a period of 12 days. The cast and crew were informed to keep the project a secret until production was finished. Whedon explained his initial interest in the project, saying: "I fixated on this notion that our ideas of romantic love are created for us by the society around us. It s a very cynical, romantic text about love, and how we behave, and how we re expected to behave. It s a party, but there s something darker there as well." Much Ado About Nothing has received generally positive reviews from critics, earning a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. John DeFore of 'The Hollywood Reporter' said: "More than most adaptations, this is a film true to Shakespeare's practice of employing all means at hand to keep the crowd entertained". A.O. Scott of the 'New York Times' said the film was, "perhaps the liveliest and most purely delightful movie I have seen so far this year" and that it, "draws out the essential screwball nature of Shakespeare s comedy". He added: "Whedon s film crackles with a busy, slightly wayward energy that recalls the classic romantic sparring of the studio era." Sources: 2

3 TRAILER AND POSTER POSTER 1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them? You can find posters for this movie at or - just type the name of the movie in the search field. 2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories. 3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer ) and talk about them with your partner(s). 4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie. 5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s). TRAILER 1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s). The official trailer: 2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s). 3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions. 4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s). 5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s). 3

4 MATCHING SYNONYM MATCH 1. cast a. crazy 2 informed b. focused 3. fixated c. overall 4. notion d. available 5. darker e. actors 6. generally f. more sinful 7. critics g. brings back memories 8. at hand h. told 9. screwball i. idea 10. recalls j. reviewers PHRASE MATCH 1. Shakespeare's play a. reviews from critics 2 the cast b. crowd entertained 3. informed to keep c. there as well 4. how we re expected d. approval rating 5. there s something darker e. the project a secret 6. received generally positive f. of the same name 7. 79% g. of the studio era 8. employing all means h. to behave 9. keep the i. and crew 10. the classic romantic sparring j. at hand 4

5 LISTENING / READING GAP FILL Much Ado About Nothing (1) romantic comedy written, produced, and directed by Joss Whedon. It is based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. (2) at Whedon's home in California over a period of 12 days. The cast and crew were informed (3) until production was finished. Whedon explained his initial interest in the project, saying: "I (4) that our ideas of romantic love are created for us by the society around us. It s a very (5) love, and how we behave, and how we re expected to behave. It s a party, but there s (6) well." Much Ado About Nothing has (7) reviews from critics, earning (8) Rotten Tomatoes. John DeFore of 'The Hollywood Reporter' said: "(9), this is a film true to Shakespeare's practice of employing all means at hand to keep the crowd entertained". A.O. Scott of the 'New York Times' said the film was, "(10) most purely delightful movie I have seen so far this year" and that it, "draws out the (11) of Shakespeare s comedy". He added: "Whedon s film crackles with a busy, slightly wayward energy that recalls the (12) of the studio era." 5

6 CORRECT THE SPELLING Paragraph 1 1. a 2012 American ennpeddniet romantic comedy 2. asedb on William Shakespeare's play 3. crew were dmeornfi to keep the project a secret 4. his ilitnia interest 5. I fixated on this nnotoi 6. a very lciycan, romantic text Paragraph 2 7. nyrgelale positive reviews 8. a 79% aoaprplv rating 9. most asatpnodait 10. keep the crowd etainnetrde 11. purely illdutfegh 12. thylgsli wayward energy 6

7 PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT much ado about nothing is a 2012 american independent romantic comedy written produced and directed by joss whedon it is based on william shakespeare's play of the same name it was filmed in black and white at whedon's home in california over a period of 12 days the cast and crew were informed to keep the project a secret until production was finished whedon explained his initial interest in the project saying "i fixated on this notion that our ideas of romantic love are created for us by the society around us it s a very cynical romantic text about love and how we behave and how we re expected to behave it s a party but there s something darker there as well" much ado about nothing has received generally positive reviews from critics earning a 79% approval rating on rotten tomatoes john defore of 'the hollywood reporter' said "more than most adaptations this is a film true to shakespeare's practice of employing all means at hand to keep the crowd entertained" ao scott of the 'new york times' said the film was "perhaps the liveliest and most purely delightful movie i have seen so far this year" and that it "draws out the essential screwball nature of shakespeare s comedy" he added "whedon s film crackles with a busy slightly wayward energy that recalls the classic romantic sparring of the studio era" 7

8 INSERT THE VOWELS (a,e,i,o,u) M _ ch _ d b t N_ th_ ng _ s _ 2012 _ m _ r _ c _ n _ nd_ p _ nd_ nt r_ m _ nt_ c c_ m _ dy wr_ tt_ n, pr_ d _ c _ d, _ nd d _ r _ ct_ d by J_ ss Wh_ d _ n. _ t _ s b_ s _ d _ n W_ ll m Sh_ k _ sp r _ 's pl_ y _ f th_ s _ m _ n _ m _. _ t w_ s f_ lm_ d _ n bl_ ck _ nd wh_ t t Wh_ d _ n's h_ m n C_ l _ f _ rn v _ r _ p _ r d _ f 12 d_ ys. Th_ c _ st _ nd cr_ w w_ r nf_ rm_ d t_ k p th_ pr_ j _ ct _ s _ cr_ t _ nt_ l pr_ d _ ct n w_ s f_ n _ sh_ d. Wh_ d _ n _ xpl n _ d h_ s _ n _ t l _ nt_ r _ st _ n th_ pr_ j _ ct, s_ y _ ng: "_ f _ x _ t _ d _ n th_ s n_ t n th_ t r _ d s _ f r_ m _ nt_ c l_ v r _ cr t _ d f_ r _ s by th_ s _ c ty _ r nd _ s. _ t s _ v _ ry cyn_ c _ l, r_ m _ nt_ c t_ xt _ b t l_ v _, _ nd h_ w w_ b _ h _ v _, _ nd h_ w w_ r xp_ ct_ d t_ b _ h _ v _. _ t s _ p _ rty, b_ t th_ r _ s s_ m _ th_ ng d_ rk_ r th_ r s w_ ll." M _ ch _ d b t N_ th_ ng h _ s r_ c v _ d g_ n _ r _ lly p _ s _ t _ v _ r _ v ws fr_ m cr_ t _ cs, rn_ ng _ 79% _ ppr_ v _ l r_ t _ ng _ n R_ tt_ n T_ m _ t s. J_ hn D_ F _ r f 'Th_ H _ llyw d R_ p _ rt_ r' s d: "M_ r _ th_ n m_ st _ d _ pt_ t ns, th_ s _ s _ f _ lm tr t _ Sh_ k _ sp r _ 's pr_ ct_ c f _ mpl_ y _ ng _ ll m ns _ t h_ nd t_ k p th_ cr_ wd _ nt_ rt n _ d". _. _. Sc_ tt _ f th_ 'N_ w Y_ rk T_ m _ s' s d th_ f _ lm w_ s, "p_ rh_ ps th_ l _ v _ l st _ nd m_ st p _ r _ ly d_ l _ ghtf_ l m_ v h _ v _ s n s_ f _ r th_ s y r" _ nd th _ t _ t, "dr_ ws t th ss_ nt l scr_ wb_ ll n_ t _ r f Sh_ k _ sp r _ s c_ m _ dy". H dd_ d: "Wh_ d _ n s f_ lm cr_ ckl_ s w_ th _ b _ sy, sl_ ghtly w_ yw_ rd _ n _ rgy th_ t r _ c _ lls th_ cl_ ss_ c r_ m _ nt_ c sp_ rr_ ng _ f th_ st_ d r _." 8

9 MARK THE SPACES MuchAdoAboutNothingisa2012Americanindependentromanticcome dywritten,produced,anddirectedbyjosswhedon.itisbasedonwilliam Shakespeare'splayofthesamename.Itwasfilmedinblackandwhiteat Whedon'shomeinCaliforniaoveraperiodof12days.Thecastandcreww ereinformedtokeeptheprojectasecretuntilproductionwasfinished.w hedonexplainedhisinitialinterestintheproject,saying:"ifixatedonthis notionthatourideasofromanticlovearecreatedforusbythesocietyaro undus. It saverycynical,romantictextaboutlove,andhowwebehave,andhowwe reexpectedtobehave.it saparty,butthere ssomethingda rkerthereaswell." MuchAdoAboutNothinghasreceivedgenerallypositivereviewsfromcri tics,earninga79%approvalratingonrottentomatoes.johndeforeof' TheHollywoodReporter'said:"Morethanmostadaptations,thisisafilm truetoshakespeare'spracticeofemployingallmeansathandtokeepthe crowdentertained".a.o.scottofthe'newyorktimes'saidthefilmwas," perhapstheliveliestandmostpurelydelightfulmovieihaveseensofarth isyear"andthatit,"drawsouttheessentialscrewballnatureofshakespe are scomedy.headded:"whedon sfilmcrackleswithabusy,slightlywa ywardenergythatrecallstheclassicromanticsparringofthestudioera." 9

10 DISCUSSION (Write your own questions) STUDENT A s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B) Copyright DISCUSSION (Write your own questions) STUDENT B s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING SURVEY Write five GOOD questions about Much Ado About Nothing in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers. STUDENT 1 STUDENT 2 STUDENT 3 Q.1. Q.2. Q.3. Q.4. Q.5. Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings. 11

12 WRITING Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other s work. 12

13 HOMEWORK 1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Much Ado About Nothing. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Much Ado About Nothing. What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles. 4. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING POSTER: Make a poster about Much Ado About Nothing. Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics reviews, why people should see it, etc. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters. 5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for Much Ado About Nothing. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback. 6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback. 7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Much Ado About Nothing. Share your findings with the class. 13

14 ANSWERS SYNONYM MATCH 1. cast a. actors 2 informed b. told 3. fixated c. focused 4. notion d. idea 5. darker e. more sinful 6. generally f. overall 7. critics g. reviewers 8. at hand h. available 9. screwball i. crazy 10. recalls j. brings back memories OTHER ACTIVITIES Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review on page 2. (It's good for your English ;-) CREATIVE COMMONS Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. on-sharealike_3.0_unported_license 14